Spray preventer for storage batteries



Feb 9,. 932. Q QQDNEY 1,844,499

SPRAY PREVENTER FDR STORAGE BATTERIES Filed Oct. 4. 1928 INVENTOR Zm, Vi 7 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR O. CODNEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO WILLARD STORAGE BATTERY l i COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA SPRAY PREVENTER FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Application filed. October 4, 1828. Serial No. 310,260.

This invention relates to storage batteries and more particularly to a spray preventer which is intended to be used on the vent holes of storage batteries while they are being heing charged.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a spray preventer of the type referred to which is normally self-closing and adapted to prevent the escapement of the spray or minute acid bubbles which are projected above the surface of the sulphuric acid electrolyte in the storage battery cell and out through its vent hole, which spray or bubbles are due to the natural evolution of hydrogen and oxygen gases on the plates during the charging operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spray preventer whereby electrolyte may be added to or withdrawn from the cell of the storage battery or whereby an hydrometer syringe may be introduced into the storage battery cell for the purpose of reading thev specific gravity of the withdrawn solution without the necessity of re- 5 moving or replacing the vent plug during the charging operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spray preventcr which is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation.

Other objects of the invention reside in details of construction which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a storage battery illustrating a spray preventer embodying the invention in its normally closed and open positions;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken on line 22 of 1 showing the spray preventer in its normally closed position in one cell and in its open position in another cell, an hydrometer being inserted in one of the cells and illustrated in dotted lines.

In the drawings 10 represents the usual type of storage battery container or box composed of hard rubber or other suitable material. The container is divided so as to provide the desired number of cells, three being herein illustrated, for receiving the groups of positive and negative plates and the electrolyte. The cells 11 are provided with covers 15 fitting within the upper portion of the cells and maintained in position by any suiting taken, which are adapted to receive screw threaded vent plugs of the usual construction but not here shown. The battery is also provided with the usual positive and negative terminal posts 13 and 14 respectively to which may be attached any suitable conductors.

The covers 15 are provided with flanged openings 18 which are interiorly screw threaded at 19 to receive the usual screw threaded plugs when the battery is being used but which are not herein shown, the invention being applicable to other types of openings than here shown. These flanged openings 18 have laterally extending circular shoulders 20 formed adjacent the lower inner edges thereof to provide suitable openings 21 through which electrolyte or water may be introduced into the cells 12 or through which an hydrometer syringe may be introduced for the purpose of reading the specific gravity of the electrolyte within the respective cells of the storage battery.

The details of construction so far described are common in various types of storage batteries and form no part of the present invention, per se, but only in combination with the spray preventer which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The spray preventer 22 has a hemi-spherical portion 23, the greatest diameter of which is slightly less than the inside diameter of the flanged opening 18 and is normally positioned within the flanged opening in such a manner that the hemi-spherical portion 28 projects beyond the lateral circular shoulder 20 and substantially closes the opening 21. The spray preventer 22 is further provided with a laterally extending shoulder 24 formed integral with the upper surface of the hemispherical portion 23, one edge of the shoulder 24 terminating adjacent the transverse center of the hemi-spherical portion 23 while the semi-circular outer edge extends substantiaL ly beyond the outer periphery of the hemispherical portion 23 and is normally adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the flanged opening 18 to thereby maintain the spray preventer in its normally closed position. The portion of the Shoulder which terminates adjacent the transverse center of the hemispherical portion 28 provides a fulcrum -25 .aboutwhich the spray preventer is-.ad-apted to oscillate-so that access may belhad'toithe interior of the storage battery cell for the purposes already set forth. "The shoulder 24 is provided with a slot 26 in its upper surface whereby when the spray'preventeris moved to its vertical or .openposition, as shownin Eig...2,.the. stem of an. hydrometer syringei27 .may be Idisposedthereinand extend through the opening;21itoadd'water .tothe storage battery cell or to withdraw .the electrolyte forthe purpose-of readingthe specificgrav- Lity thereof.

The whemi-spherical surface23 F011 the un- Qderside of the 'spray .preventer -22 projects downwardly. .beyond .the upper edge of .the circular. shoulder 20 and. substantiallycovers .the opening 21. The .acid bubbles which. are caused by thenatural evolution of hydrogen and .oxygengases onvtheplatesfduring .charge :are projected upwardly. and strike the 'pro- .jecting. hemispherical surface 23 ofthe. spray preventer v22.and condense thereon; and said sphericalv surface allows :the condensed. acid to dripbaclrintothe cell and at the sametime 1allowsthegases which were enclosed within theacid bubbles, after bursting, duetotheir contact with thesphericalsurface, to. escape around the periphery of sthe. hernia-spherical portion .23, thereby preventing. the .acidlbub- .bles from escaping through 'the vent hole .18 .and accumulatingrupon the upper. surface. of the storage batterycontainer. In .this way .the..air.in-.the room :within which the. storage batteries: arebeingcharged is preventedfrom becoming contaminated with .minute floating z-sulphuric acid bubbles which heretofore woulideventually settle and burst. or condense upon objects in-the roomlleaving"condensed sulphuric acid onand causing corrosiongof the .objects .upon which they settle. This hemipherical p0rtion23 of-the sprayprerenter 22 further'provides suitablemeans'for guiding .the spray .preventer'back =into its 1normally:horii'ontal or closed position: after itbas'been moved to open position bythe insertion of: an hydrometer :syringe .or other article.

Theself-righting or closingfeaturc of the sprayzpreven'ter 22 is obtained by having the :center ofagnavity ofthe spravpreventer berlowaandio one side of its fulcrum25 thus causing itto cicse or assume. a horizontal position-when placed uponthe VentholelS of the cover. ofthe cell with. the hemispherical -55 portion downward. The pressure of an obtioniofithe.hole.2l..surroundedlby the circular .shoulde1'20in.the'lowerpart. of.- the' cover 15 and permitting the insertion of a tube for the purpose-of removing-or adding solution to the electrolyte within the cell or for reading the specific gravity with an hydrometer syringe. .Theremoval of-thetube orhydrom- .eter.syrmgerehevesthepressure.onthespray ,preventerandnts center of gravity belngsalmost entirely to zone; side of; its fulcrum 225 causes it to turn back into a horlzontal 015 .closed ,position. Thisturning or pivoting is .limited by the .semiecircular counterweight ishoulder2 coming. into 'c.o11tactwith the up- .per edge ofthe flanged opening-l8.

WVhilel :have described the preferred embodimentof the :invention 1 it is to 1 be under- :stood .thatlI am notito be .limited thereto in- ..asmuchas. changesand modifications may be .resortedito without departing from the spirit f the-invention, as defined in the appended-P claims. 1

.Havlng thus describedmy invention, what Iclaim'. is

.1. In a deviceofthe characterdescribed,

the combination with a storage batterybav-i-d ,ing acoverprovidedwith avent opening'and :a flange surrounding .the latter, of a spray preventer comprising a hemi-sphericalgportion adapted to beidisposedwithin said flange with the hemi-spherical portion extending5i downwardly through said opening, .and a laterally extending portion adjacent the-upper surface ofsaid hemispherical portion adapted to vcooperate with said flange .to

. thereby provide a fulcrum about" which said hemispherical portion isadaptedto oscillate. a

2. In a device ofthe character described,

.the combination with a storage battery'having acover provided with a vent opening and F a flange surrounding the latter, of a spray preventer comprising ahemi-spherical por-v tion .adapted .to be disposed withinsaid flange with-the hemi-spherical portion extendingdownwardlythrough said opening,

andranintegral lateral extension adjacent the upper-surface of said "hemispherical portion adapted toengage with said flange when said spray preventer is in normally closed posi- :tion, said .extension and flange "further 00- operating toprovide a fulcrum about which said hemispherical portionis adapted to oscillate when said spray preventer is moved .to openposition.

.3. In. adevice of the character described, "1

the combination with a storage battery having a cover provided with a vent opening and a flange surrounding the latter, of a spray preventer comprising a hemi-spherical portion adapted to be disposed within said flange with the hemispherical portion extending downwardly through said opening, and a stop on said hemi-spherical portion adapted to engage with said flange to maintain the spray preventer in its normally closed position, said hemispherical portion being adapted to oscillate within said flange whereby the former may be moved to open position.

i. In a device of the character described, the combination with a storage battery having a cover provided with a vent opening and a flange surrounding the latter, of a spray prerenter comprising a hemi-spherical portion adapted to be disposed within said flange with the hemispherical portion extending downwardly through said opening, and a1aterally extending portion adjacent the upper surface of said hemispherical portion adapted to cooperate with said flange to thereby provide a fulcrum about which said hemispherical portion is adapted to oscillate, the center of gravity of the spray preventer with respect to the axis of oscillation being eccentric whereby s id spray preventer is normally maintained in closed position.

5. A spray preventer for storage batteries comprising a top portion and a spherically rounded under portion adapted to fit within the vent opening of the battery, and a supporting member adjacent the top portion and extending beyond the edge of said spherically rounded under portion, said supporting member extending partway only around said top portion.

A spray preventer for storage batteries comprising a top portion and a spherically rounded under portion adapted to fit within the opening of the battery, and a semi-circular laterally extending flange having a flat edge portion and being adjacent said top portion.

7. A spray preventer for storage batteries comprising a top portion and a spherically rounded under portion adapted to fit within the rent opening of the battery, and a semicircular laterally extending flange integral with said top portion and having a flat edge portion extending transversely thereof.

8. A spray preventer for storage batteries comprising a top portion and a spherically rounded under portion adapted to fit Within the vent opening of the battery, a semi-circular laterally extending flange integral with said top port-ion and a radially extending groove in the upper surface of said flange.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

ARTHUR O. CODNEY. 

